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A COMMUNITY OF 



EARLY AMERICAN 



HOMES, CHURCHES 



PLACES 



•••••••••••••••••••••• 






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Published by the 
BANK OF SUFFOLK COUNTY 
Organized in Stony Brook in 1907 



Original artwork by 
Donald C. Vaughan Jr. 



Narrative captions by 
Kathleen Fullam 



A PlCrORlALRECORD OF 

EARLY AMERICAN HOMES IN 

STONY BROOK AND ENVIRONS 



T. 



HIS publication is presented 
with the hope that it will recall pleasant memories to old-time 
residents and acquaint new friends and neighbors with a 
glimpse into the colorful and interesting past of historic Stony 
Brook and environs. 

All too frequently, examples of the early homes of our fore- 
bears are irretrievably lost in the relentless march of time. It 
is with the hope that a permanent record of these interesting 
and romantic buildings may be preserved for posterity that 
this modest pictorial record of our early American heritage is 
presented as a public service. 

WiLUAM F. PlOCH 
President 



Designed and printed in the printshop of 
The THREE VILLAGE HERALD 




CAROLINE CHURCH 

VILLAGE GREEN 

Sefaukef 

^ Built in 1729, this is the oldest Episcopal church building 
on Long Island. It was named in honor of Queen Caroline 
who presented the new church with a silver communion 
service. 

In 1937, false ceilings and walls of the interior were re- 
moved and the church was restored to its original colonial 
appearance. Noteworthy are the antique whale oil lamps, slave 
gallery in the rear of the church and the weather vane which 
incorporates the Union Jack in its design. 




SETAUKET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 

VILLAGE GREEN 

Setaukef 

^ The first church organization in Brookhaven is represented 
in the Setauket Presbyterian Church whose present edifice was 
erected in 1811. The first church erected by the early settlers 
was built in 1671; in 1714 "a finer building" was built but 
that was destroyed by fire. 

In the cemetery on the church property are graves of such 
notable people as Abraham Woodhull (one of George Wash- 
ington's spies), William S. Mount (American painter) and 
members of the Floyd family (who governed this end of Long 
Island in the early days). 




HAD AWAY HOUSE 
n/e corner main street and route 2 5 -a 
Stony Brook 

^ Built just prior to 1750, Hadaway House is the oldest 
21/2 story house in Stony Brook. The builder, Obediah Davis, 
was a farmer. Much of the interior panehng and woodwork 
is original ; a family graveyard is on the rear" of the property. 
About 1875 the house was sold to Thomas Hadaway, an 
Englishman, who was famous during his time as an actor and 
comedian. The first Episcopal services held in Stony Brook 
were conducted in this house during Mr. Hadaway's occu 
pancy. 




HOLLY TREE HOUSE 

CHRISTIAN AVENUE 

Stony Brook 

^ This house was built about 1750. It obtains its name from 
a holly tree which was planted about a hundred years ago 
close to the dining room wall. Some of the hardware and 
doors in the house are of nautical origin for a sea captain 
lived here at the time of the Civil War. 

According to legend, the captain openly expressed his sym- 
pathies with the South and was supposed to have hid under 
a trap door behind the stairs when the authorities came to 
arrest him. Maps, tracing the route of the Barque Jones to 
the African Gold Coast, were found in the attic. 




HAWKINS HOUSE 



CHRISTIAN AVENUE 

Simony Brook 

^ The original part of this house, believed to have been built 
about 1660 by Zachariah Hawkins, one of the first settlers in 
this area, consisted of a one and one-half story dwelling. In 
1820 another story was built over the easterly section of the 
original structure and a coin of that year, found in the chim- 
ney, seems to establish the date of the addition. 

The house remained in the Hawkins family until a few 
years ago. Recently a cache of old inkwells and colored medi- 
cine bottles was found under the front porch. 




WHITFORD HOUSE 

MAIN STREET (opposite Bank of Suffolk County) 
Stony Brook 

^ Built 1870, the Whitford House was considered a man- 
sion. Constructed in the grand style of the Victorian era with 
12' ceilings, 10' high doors and archways and spacious porches, 
it stood in contrast with its neighboring colonial homes. In its 
setting of park-like lawns with its circular drive and ornate 
wrought iron fence, it was indeed a show place. Unfortunately 
this land mark is destined to pass from the scene when work 
on the enlarged shopping area commences. 




THREE VILLAGE INN 



MAIN STREET 

Stony Brook 

^ Sometime prior to 1785, Richard Hallock, a prosperous 
farmer, built the nucleus of the present inn. Toward the 
middle of the nineteenth century, Jonas Smith, shipbuilder 
and owner of a fleet of sailing vessels, purchased the farm- 
house for his home. 

In 1929 Mrs. Frank Melville established a woman's ex- 
change and tea shop and this business evolved to the present 
day inn. It is now widely known for its excellent food, pic- 
turesque atmosphere, and quiet charm. 




HAWKINS-MOUNT HOUSE 

LONG HILL ROAD & ROUTE 25-A 

Stony Brook 

^ Home of William Sidney Mount, one of the foremost 
American artists in rural scene paintings, this landmark has 
served many purposes. Mount's maternal grandfather, Jonas 
Hawkins, operated an inn, general store and post office for 
the large house then bisected two main highways. 

It was also the home of Mount's uncle, Micah Hawkins, 
who composed the first American opera, "The Saw Mill" or 
"A Yankee Trick," which was produced in New York in 
1824. The house was built about 1757 with a fraction of the 
treasure money found on an abandoned ship on Long Island 
Sound. 







MAIN STREET 

I 

Stony Brook 

^ Adam Smith, son of the "Bull Rider" and patentee of 
Smithtown, was granted the right to dam the stream in 1699 
for the purpose of operating a mill. 

The present mill was built in 1750 and located a few hun- 
dred feet north of the first mill. It is still in operating con- 
dition, only ceasing operation in 1947, and it is one of the 
few such remaining mills in the country. The French mill- 
stones, plus the hand-made hopper which feeds the stones and 
the flour bolter, are original equipment. 




COMMUNITY CHURCH 

CHRISTIAN AVENUE 

Stony Brook 
^ The Community Church (Methodist) was founded in 
1809. The original church building was erected in 1817 but 
was later moved from the site and it is now a private dwell- 
ing. The present church was built in I860; the architect was 
the pastor, the Rev, Daniel Jones, who also worked on the 
construction. 

The steeple of the church is unusually high and it was a 
navigational aid to captains of sailing vessels plowing Long 
Island Sound. A large and a smaller bell of cast iron are the 
original bells. The interior of the church was redesigned in 
1958 and it is especially lovely. 




THOMPSON HOUSE 

NORTH COUNTRY ROAD 

Setauket 



^ An authentic saltbox, of which very few are extant, this 
house was the birthplace of Benjamin F. Thompson, Long 
Island historian. It belonged to the Thompson family for 
about 178 years, finally going out of their possession in 1887. 

It is now headquarters of the Society for the Preservation 
of Long Island Antiquities and it is open to the public. The 
house is furnished throughout with antique furniture and 
utensils, and on crossing its threshold a visitor may see home- 
life as lived in a farmhouse many, many years ago. 




JEDEDIAH WILLIAMSON HOMESTEAD 

NORTH COUNTRY ROAD 

Stony Brook 
^ In 1792 a patriot, named Jedediah Williamson, purchased 
30 acres of woodland for 49 pounds and 10 shillings. Wil- 
liamson was a millwright and he built a finely constructed 
home and barn; the house appears today much as he built it 
and the barn, with the year "1794" carved in one of its beams, 
is now one of the exhibits at the Stony Brook Carriage House. 
One of Jedediah's sons, John M. WiUiamson, became prom- 
inent in public affairs, serving many years as assemblyman 
from this district and as supervisor of Brookhaven Town. The 
land that was farmed for generations still lies in open fields. 




ALL SOULS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 



MAIN STREET 

Stony Brook 

^ Considered an architectural gem, this church was designed 
by Stanford White, the foremost architect of his day. It was 
erected in 1889- 

The ceiHng of the sanctuary, with its blue field and hand 
painted gold stars, has been untouched since the day the 
church was built. The stained glass window in the rear of 
the church was donated by the Rev. Samuel Seabury, son of 
the first American Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Its 110- 
year old, tractor type organ is still in perfect working order. 




THE SUFFOLK MUSEUM 



CHRISTIAN AVENUE 

Stony Brook 

^ The main section of the museum formerly housed the old 
Stony Brook Fire Department and the wing was originally 
the old village hall, called the Old Stone Jug, The museum 
was chartered in 1942 to display items of local historical in- 
terest. 

It has a permanent display of paintings by the Mount 
Brothers who captured, on canvas, life in this area during the 
nineteenth century. Each season it offers a variety of new 
exhibits, and also courses for both adults and children. 




SETAUKET GRIST MILL 

FRANK MELVILLE MEMORIAL PARK 

y Setauket 

^ A mill grant given to John Waede of Setauket in 1680 
has been passed down to the Futhys, the Woodhulls, the Sat- 
terlys, the Hudsons, the Hawkins, and finally the Melvilles. 
Since the old mill had deteriorated beyond repair, a new 
mill was built in 1937 in the style of a typical old mill. It is 
set in a wonderland of fine shrubs and trees and is a memorial 
from Mrs. Frank Melville to her husband. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 434 069 3 



